As much as somebody might read the above and say, "Oh wow, it can't possibly be that bad! This sounds like an axe to grind!" - hold that thought. There's a lot

As much as somebody might read the above and say, "Oh wow, it can't possibly be that bad! This sounds like an axe to grind!" - hold that thought. There's a lot of truth to what's been listed above, and the message that your #1 priority should be to micro-manage your care is actually good advice for above-average intelligent people. I can't stress this enough. As with the parent comment, I shy away from sharing too much personal information about my own health battles. They are from birth, ongoing, and likely to stick around until I die. Want to hear something that would shock you? My parents were advocates for my care and our insurance would pay for an innovative, proven type of new corrective surgery. The "Team" of a Head Doc and a couple others on his staff said over and over that my parents were being too pushy and that they would be the ones to decide when I would be a candidate for that surgery. My parents questioned their integrity, because it was obvious that I was a candidate. The Head Doc got very arrogant. My parents got legal. What did they find? In the Head Doc's own notes, and agreed upon by his team in private, that I was an excellent candidate for the type of surgery being mentioned. They were lying to us, and for what? We got a different Specialist after that. I'll never forget that lesson though, and later, having seen that Head Doc at an industry event later in life - he noticed I was doing well - to which I replied that indeed I was and no thanks to him either. Glad that asshole has retired.